Jimenez grabs two-stroke lead

Miguel Angel Jimenez: Two shots ahead

Spain's Miguel Angel Jimenez grabbed a two-stroke lead in the Deutsche Bank-SAP Open's second round on Friday.

The Spaniard shot a 3-under 69 on a cool breezy day, giving the Ryder Cup player a two day total of 8-under-par 136.

Ireland's Paul McGinley and Italy's Emanuele Canonica were second at 138 in what looks set to become one of the highest earning tournaments on the European circuit.

Woods bogey

Tiger Woods shot a 2-under 70 for the second straight day to finish at 140. But before the lat bogeys, the world No. 1 closed to within two strokes of Jimenez, long finished with his round, by sinking a 10-foot birdie putt on his 14th hole.

Paul McGinley: Lying second

But that was as close as Woods came, hitting his second shot into a trap to bogey the 16th and missing another long putt for par on his 18th.

Jimenez scattered five birdies and two bogeys, losing his lead only briefly during the day, after topping the leaderboard following the first round with a 67.

There were four players sharing third at 5-under including American Bob May, Scotland's Garry Orr, Britain's Steve Webster and South Africa's Retief Goosen.

McGinley, chasing his third title in nine years on the tour, put together eight birdies for an 8-under 65, the day's lowest round along with Spain's Jose Maria Olazabal.

Afterwards the Irishman said he felt like Woods was worth every bit of his reported £1m appearance fee, although there might be some jealousy among other European players.

Focus

Jimenez said he wasn't focused on the 24-year-old American superstar chasing him, even if Woods has drawn all the attention at the event despite the entire European Ryder Cup team at the start.

"Woods is a great player and the world No. 1, but there are 150 players in the field and a lot of good players," said Jimenez.

"You have to focus on the golf course, not one person."

Several other European Ryder Cup players also remained in contention, with Olazabal tied with Woods at 4-under 140 and England's Lee Westwood another stroke back at 141, despite a last-hole bogey.

Spain's Sergio Garcia was at 2-under 142 and Colin Montgomerie at 143 after a 70, although the Scotsman didn't use the controversial Callaway ERC driver during the round.

Collated second round scores

136 - Miguel Angel Jimenez (Spa)
138 P McGinley
139 R Goosen (Rsa), B May (USA), S Webster
140 S Leaney (Aus), M Campbell (Nzl), J Van de Velde (Fra) , JM Olazabal (Spa), B Davis, J Haeggman (Swe), D Howell, T Woods (USA), L Westwood
141 D Clarke 72 69
142 R Chapman 68 74, N O'Hern (Aus) 72 70, I Woosnam 71 71, D Lynn 74 68, A Cejka (Ger) 73 69, S Garcia (Spa) 72 70